Main menu

Viewership of Sunday’s United States Grand Prix up 47 percent from 2012

November 20, 2013

Over one million viewers tuned in to watch Sebastian Vettel secure his eighth consecutive victory at the United States Grand Prix. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

NBC Sports’ live broadcast of the United States Grand Prix on Sunday drew 1.010 million viewers, up 47 percent vs. last year on SPEED (688,000), according to final national data provided today by The Nielsen Company. The ratings increase happened despite blackouts due to news preemptions for severe weather in the Midwest, including the Chicago and Indianapolis markets.

The U.S. Grand Prix (1:56-3:49 p.m. ET) from Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, scored a 0.65 household rating according to final national data, up 67 percent vs. last year’s race on SPEED (0.39). Sunday’s race, in which four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) won his eighth consecutive victory, also surpassed NBC’s coverage of the Canadian Grand Prix (950,000) in June by 6 percent.

Among adults 18-49 (387,000), the U.S. Grand Prix was the second-most watched race of the season on NBC behind the Monaco Grand Prix (441,000). NBC tallied double-digit increases vs. SPEED’s telecast last year among adults 18-49 (up 45 percent) and adults 25-54 (up 39 percent).

Viewership for the race peaked in the 2:45-3 p.m. ET quarter-hour with 1.233 million viewers. Austin led the nation with a 6.88 rating for the race. Following are the top 5 markets:

Austin, Texas – 6.88

Greensboro, N.C. – 1.90

San Diego – 1.69

Columbus, Ohio – 1.66

Orlando-Daytona, Fla. – 1.60

For its three F1 races so far this season, NBC is averaging 1.152 million viewers, up 11 percent compared to FOX’s four F1 race average last year (1.038 million).